Damage to non-structural elements in the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake

Abstract

This paper describes the damage to non-structural elements in buildings following the 14th November 2016 Kaikōura earthquake. As has been observed in recent earthquakes in New Zealand and around the world, damage to non-structural elements is a major contributor to overall building damage. This paper focusses on damage to non-structural elements in multi-storey commercial buildings, in particular damage to the following: suspended ceilings, suspended services, glazing, precast panels, internal linings, seismic gaps and contents. The nature and extent of damage to each of these components is discussed in this paper with the help of typical damage photos taken after the earthquake. The paper also presents observations on the seismic performance of non-structural elements where seismic bracing was present. These observations suggest that seismic bracing is an effective means to improve seismic performance of non-structural elements.